Chapter 20 - Questions and Answers

The meeting ended there, and Elania followed the party to a building set aside solely for the group's use. The monks all seemed to have their own bedrolls, but Marcus took her aside to a side room where they could talk in private.

She hadn't even found a spot to sit down before he opened with the first question.

"You're a new demon aren't you? Recently summoned?"

The shock on Elania's face must have shown because he didn't wait for an answer.

"Don't bother to deny it, I know a lot about demons. I'll be able to help you a lot. After all, I imagine you're like a newborn who doesn't know her way around her own system."

Elania winced; his remarks were close to the truth. Although she thought she had done a stellar job of figuring things out so far... even if there had been a few disasters.

"You're right, I was just summoned, maybe a… week or two ago. I've been learning and gaining levels as I went without any tutorial."

"Tutorial. Hmm. I've never heard it put like that before, but yes, it is a tragedy that you poor demons don’t receive a tutorial before getting here. Lucky for you, I'm here to teach you everything now, yes?"

The way Marcus smiled at her and chuckled sent little prickles down her back. She was quickly recategorizing him from 'mysterious' to 'creepy and avoid' the more he stared at her like she was some kind of prize animal.

"Can I ask some questions?"

"Certainly, but first I'd like to ask you to do something for me. I'd like to see your status screen."

Her initial reaction was to refuse, somehow that felt like a grave invasion of privacy, and she was not entirely inclined to trust the man, but...

She really did want answers. "How?"

"You raise your hand up and hold your palm toward the person and then send a mental request to the system for it."

He did so, and a message appeared on Elania's own system.

[Marcus has sent a request to view your Status. Accept? Y/N]

"So everyone has a 'Status' window?" She asked, then hesitated a second and sent her acceptance.

"They do, although each race is slightly different. Demons have the most varied because they are from other worlds."

Marcus looked away from her, his eyes focusing on something she couldn't see. 'He must be reading my status.'

She watched him intently, wondering if his face would reveal anything as he read the lists.

[Status]

Name: Elania Reyes

Race: Lesser Demon (S Class Monster)

Level: 36

Power: 56/208

Karma: 24

Titles: [Locked]

[Some functions are disabled due to insufficient requirements.]

[Skills: Elania Reyes]

[Class: None]

[Affinities: Demonic, Mana, Darkwalker(Complete)]

[Magical: Demonic Aura Lvl - 6 (Deactivated), Mana Manipulation Lvl - 24, Battle Concentration Lvl 4]

[Physical: Unarmed Combat Lvl - 4, Darkvision Lvl - 3 (Activated), Dodging Lvl - 28, Block Lvl - 16, Stealth Lvl - 31, Throwing Weapons Lvl - 34, Combat Mastery Lvl - 32]

[Mundane: Identify Lvl - 5, Universal Speech Lvl - 5, Reading Lvl - 4, Writing Lvl - 3, Athletics Lvl - 12, Improvised Crafting Lvl - 19, Tracking Lvl 4]

[Attributes: Elania Reyes]

[Current Attributes:

Demon Contract (1 Available)

Regeneration (Normal)

Demonic Self-Sustenance

Enhanced Physical Abilities (Strength, Mana Capacity)

Immunity (Darkness)

Resistance (Poison, Mana)

Weakness (Holy)]

"Your level seems a bit high for just being summoned. You must have found some things to kill?"

"Darkwalkers and Ralfots. Is killing things the only way to gain levels?"

"Killing things is the main way, yes. You gain a base level for every year of age as well. Crafting and combat that isn’t to the death can work, but at a barely noticeable rate. I'm not surprised you found so many Darkwalkers, with them swarming the way they were. This Karma..."

He paused and stared at her, "You didn't kill any people? Didn't torture or rape things before being summoned?"

"What? No! Of course not, I would never do anything like that!"

He paused and took a long puff of his pipe. The silence seemed to stretch uncomfortably as he turned his attention back to her [Status].

"You are quite interesting, Elania. Were you a noble in your world? It is quite rare to have [Universal Speech] instead of [Common Tongue] and you even have [Reading] and [Writing] those are very rare skills."

‘From Rapist to Noblewoman? I don’t get his logic at all.’

"No, I was a university student."

"Your family must have been quite wealthy, then. You have very interesting attributes as well. [Regeneration] and [Demonic Self-Sustenance], I am sure these come in handy. You are quite lucky."

Elania bit the inside of her lip. She felt like she was being dissected, and she hated it.

"Where are we going when we leave, tomorrow? The whole world isn't just these stupid caves is it? Will we be able to get out and see the sun?"

Marcus chuckled and finally looked at her again as he spoke.

"An interesting idea, but no. To both questions. The world does not solely consist of the Underdark, although many who reside here have never seen the light of day. We won't be traveling to the surface, either. The nearest city is a week of travel away, and it is wholly underground."

He looked away again and pointed to something.

"I'm quite surprised you have a [Darkwalker Affinity(Complete)], you must have a very strong sense of self, girl. I had hardly believed Jal'yar'tin's description of your battle with the Darkwalker Demon, but this confirms it almost. You really turned into a beast and then turned back?"

"Yes... it was very disturbing, but I didn't really have a choice. It was about to kill us all."

"I can almost see the sequence of events that led to you being able to gain the complete affinity. You killed one, and it fed your power, which fueled your [Regeneration] and [Demonic Self-Sustenance], which allowed you to hunt more. Culminating in a battle with the demon who ruled the area. Remarkable."

She wasn't going to argue. It was remarkable that she had managed to survive. The whole ordeal since arriving in Eladu had been one of her running away from things and trying to stay two feet ahead of death. Now seemed to be the time to ask what she really wanted to know.

"How do I get home?"

"Ah."

Elania waited for what felt like way too long as Marcus paused, looking at her, seemingly considering his answer.

"Normally, you don't. Can I ask how you were summoned?"

Elania frowned as she answered, "Some circle made out of blood, or something?"

"Ah, so some type of ritual. Do you know who summoned you?"

"No, not really, I--" she paused as she realized she did remember a name on the contract that was offered to her. “It was, ‘Cult of the Black Candle' something? They tried to offer me a contract."

"Black Candle, hmm, that is interesting. I imagine they made some type of mistake if you were able to escape their circle...?"

"Someone showed up and tried to kill them... me."

"I see. That makes sense of how you are currently unbound then. Almost all demons have contracts. Normally they can't exist without one for long. You've noticed that your 'Power' decreases over time, yes? If it reaches zero you will quickly begin to die."

"What does this have to do with me getting home?"

"You were specifically summoned here by a ritual, likely by your name. That means you might be able to be specifically sent back to your own realm. Although I know of no real examples. Your best bet would be to travel to Tiria and consult with the High Cardinal of the Lightbringers."

"How would they even know my name!"

"They might have not. If one of the summoners mispronounced something during the ceremony, it certainly could have random consequences."

Elania glowered and leaned back against the wall, slightly upset. She had likely been sent to this stupid world because of some small mistake!

"More pressing is your level and your skills. They are all quite low. I know some teenagers who'd have better skills in some things than you. If you didn't have such a high power multiplier, I imagine you wouldn't have gotten this far."

"Most of those skills I acquired as I went, I never really had any training. What's a power multiplier."

"Your 'Power' stat. It is unique to demons. It allows you to do some incredible things, such as manipulate mana from within yourself, acting as a multiplier to your base strength. You have 56 right now, but I imagine you were closer to your max when you fought the other demon? Your maximum is, quite frankly, incredible."

"I was way over maximum when I was fighting that thing."

Marcus opened his mouth in surprise; it took him a moment before he commented.

"That's interesting. I've never heard of a Lesser Demon that went over their maximum and survived."

"So there are other kinds of Demons, other than Lesser Demons?"

"Oh yes. The majority of Demons are simple imps. They might be summoned to be a mage's familiar, or even form out of the raw essence found in nature."

"Lesser Demons are more rare, they usually come from other worlds and are summoned in rituals. There are some exceptions, such as Imps evolving on their own, but that is rare."

He paused there, looking at her as if he was considering how to explain the next bit.

"Higher Demons exist of course, they are a mix of Demons that were summoned to this world and evolved, or are cast down seraphs from the heavens. At least if you follow the church's dogma. You'll have to consult a priest if you want to know the full truth of that, though."

"Unless you get to meet a seraph in person. Although, I suppose, as a demon you'd find that meeting rather short, the divine doesn't take kindly to your presence in Eladu. Not that they will hunt you down unless you piss them off somehow."

This was all a bit much to take in for her. She was about to ask for further clarification if gods were real and present, like in D&D, when a sudden knock interrupted.

Marcus answered, "Yes?"

As the door opened, Elania smelled it instantly. It was some type of stew, and it smelled absolutely divine.

"Dinner's prepared."

"She doesn't nee---," Marcus cut himself off when he saw Elania's reaction to the offered meal.

"We'll join you."

Elania smiled at Marcus; she'd even forgive him for the creepy vibe and marathon of a Q&A session for the chance to finally eat some real food!